The present invention relates to a magnetic article such as a cosmetic case wherein upper and lower plates are connected together by magnetic attraction forces, and more particularly to such an article wherein the plates may be moved between a stable closed orientation and a plurality of stable open orientations.
It is known to provide a magnetic article comprising a first plate of non-magnetic material having disposed therein a first magnet for movement therewith, and a second plate of non-magnetic material having disposed therein a second magnet for movement therewith. The first and second magnets are essentially superposed and disposed in the same magnetic orientation. The first and second plates are generally juxtaposed and independently pivotable in respective parallel planes transverse to a magnetic axis defined by the first and second magnets between (i) a closed orientation wherein the first and second plates are essentially superposed and (ii) an open orientation wherein the first and second plates are overlapping but essentially not superposed.
Where the magnets are circular in plan (e.g., cylindrical), such an article is typically not stable in either the closed or open orientationsxe2x80x94that is, the plates are pivotable relative to one another about the hinge axis at all times. At the very least, a surrounding cover must be used to maintain the plates in the closed orientation. Further, once the cover is removed and the plates moved into the open orientation, there is no magnetic action maintaining the plates in the open orientation, and they may accidentally swing back into the closed orientation.
These functional disadvantages of the conventional magnetic article may be overcome by using rectangular magnets rather than circular magnets so that the article exhibits a stable closed orientation and a stable open orientationxe2x80x94in other words, so that the article is bistable. Another way to overcome these disadvantages is to provide the facing surfaces of two plates with stop structures and abutment structures which interact to provide at least a semi-stable closed orientation and at least a semi-stable open orientation. However, none of the known magnetic articles are multi-stablexe2x80x94that is, providing a stable closed orientation and a plurality of different stable open orientations.
A magnetic article is especially useful as a cosmetic case wherein an upper plate acts as a cover or mirror-bearing plate and a lower plate acts as a base containing a plurality of different cosmetics. The base plate may be divided such that each cosmetic occupies a separate half, a separate third, or a separate quarter of the plate, and it would be highly desirable for the cosmetic case to be moveable between a stable closed or storage orientation wherein none of the cosmetics were exposed and a plurality of stable open or use orientations wherein each stable open or use orientation exposed less than all, and preferably only a single one, of the cosmetics.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-stable magnetic article.
Another object is to provide such an article wherein, in a preferred embodiment, the plates are moveable between a stable closed orientation and a plurality of stable open orientations.
A further object is to provide such an article wherein, in a preferred embodiment, first and second plates are transformable by being independently relatively rotatable about at least one pivot axis.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such an article wherein, in a preferred embodiment, first and second plates are transformable by being independently relatively linearly translatable along orthogonal axes.
It is another object to provide such an article wherein, in a preferred embodiment, first and second plates are transformable by being independently relatively linearly translatable along diagonal axes.
Yet another object is to provide such an article wherein, in a preferred embodiment, the article is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, use and maintain.
It has now been found that the above and related objects of the present invention are obtained in a multi-stable magnetic article defining a plurality of spaced apart parallel magnetic axes. The article comprises a first plate of non-magnetic material, and a plurality of spaced apart first magnets disposed in the first plate for movement therewith, as well as a second plate of non-magnetic material, and a plurality of spaced apart second magnets disposed in the second plate for movement therewith. The first and second plates are generally juxtaposed and independently transformable in respective parallel planes transverse to the axes between a stable closed orientation and a plurality of stable open orientations. In the stable closed orientation, the first and second plates are essentially superposed, and at least a plurality of the first magnets and at least a plurality of the second magnets form essentially superposed pairs, each superposed pair containing one of the first magnets and one of the second magnets and defining one of the axes. In each of the plurality of stable open orientations, the first and second plates are overlapping but essentially not superposed, and the first and second magnets of at least one of the superposed pairs of magnets in the closed orientation are essentially not superposed in the open orientation. In each of the superposed pairs, the first and second magnets are in the same magnetic orientation.
In a preferred embodiment of the article, the first and second plates are transformable by being independently relatively pivotable about one of the axes, by being independently relatively linearly translatable along orthogonal axes, and/or by being independently relatively linearly translatable along diagonal axes.
In the closed orientation of a preferred embodiment all of the first magnets and all of the second magnets form the superposed pairs. Either none or at most one of the superposed pairs remains superposed throughout movement between adjacent orientations. At least one superposed pair separates during movement between adjacent orientations, preferably with the first magnet thereof becoming newly superposed with another of the second magnets.
A preferred embodiment of the article is a cosmetic case wherein the first plate defines a base of the case and the second plate defines a cover of the case, the base and cover being relatively transformable between the closed and open orientations. Where the article is a cosmetic case, at least one of the plates preferably carries at least two different cosmetics, each of the different cosmetics being individually and exclusively exposed for use in at least one respective stable open orientation. Preferably adjacent facing surface of the first and second magnets are substantially flush with, or recessed relative to, adjacent facing surfaces of the first and second plates, respectively. The first and second magnets are preferably substantially flat rectangles or flat cylinders.
Preferably the first plate and the first magnets are readily manually separable from the second plate and the second magnets to deconstruct the article, and the first plate and the first magnets are readily manually attachable to the second plate and the second magnets to reconstitute the article. The plates, including their respective magnets, are readily manually separable and readily manually attachable in the same or a different sequence of plates. The article is devoid of a physical article pin connecting the first and second plates.
In one preferred embodiment the first and second plates are relatively pivotable about at least one axis to an additional stable open orientation. The article is at least tristable, preferably at least quadristable, and optimally at least pentastable. The article preferably has three of the first magnets and three of the second magnets or at least four of the first magnets and at least four of the second magnets (optimally at least eight of each).
Optionally at least one of the superposed pairs is in a different magnetic orientation than another of the superposed pairs.
The non-magnetic material of at least one of the plates is preferably transparent or translucent. The plates are preferably square, circular or oval in plan, although other configurations are feasible.
Opposed major surfaces of each magnet are of opposite polarity. Each article magnetic axis is disposed inwardly of the peripheries of the first and second plates in the closed orientation. Where the plates are square in plan, magnets are preferably disposed adjacent respective corners thereof and are equidistantly spaced apart. Preferably the magnets disposed in each plate define the vertices of a polygon, irrespective of the configuration of the plate, preferably a regular polygon.
In a further preferred embodiment using plates that are square in plan, there are eight of the first magnets and eight of the second magnets, four of each being disposed at respective corners of a plate and four of each being disposed at respective midpoints intermediate the corners of the plate. Where the first and second plates are square, the first and second magnets in the corners are either generally rectangular in planar and physically aligned along diagonals of the plates or generally cylindrical.
In an embodiment incorporating at least three plates, the multi-stable magnetic article defines a plurality of spaced apart parallel magnetic axes. It comprises a first article plate of non-magnetic material, and a plurality of spaced apart first magnets disposed in the first plate for movement therewith; a second plate of non-magnetic material, and a plurality of spaced apart second magnets disposed in the second plate for movement therewith; and a third plate of non-magnetic material, and a plurality of spaced apart third magnets disposed in the third plate for movement therewith. The third plate and the third magnets are disposed at least partially intermediate the first and second plates and magnets, the first, second and third plates being generally juxtaposed and independently transformable in respective parallel planes transverse to the axes between, a stable closed orientation and a plurality of stable open orientations. In the stable closed orientation, the first, second and third plates are essentially superposed, and at least a plurality of the first magnets, at least a plurality of the second magnets and at least a plurality of the third magnets form essentially superposed trios, each superposed trio containing one of the first magnets, one of the second magnets and one of the third magnets and defining one of the magnetic axes. In each of the plurality of stable open orientations, the first, second and third plates are overlapping but essentially not superposed, and the first, second and third magnets of at least one of the superposed trios of magnets in the closed orientation are essentially not superposed in any of the open orientations. In each of the superposed trios, the first, second and third magnets are generally parallel and in the same magnetic orientation. Preferably an outer one of the plates is transparent.